


Surprises

by BrightYellowBumblebee



Series: Somebody to Love [4]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Surprises
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:41:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27753241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrightYellowBumblebee/pseuds/BrightYellowBumblebee
Summary: Dating and marriage to a Princess leave a lot of assumptions5+1 things
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Series: Somebody to Love [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1962157
Comments: 25
Kudos: 139





	Surprises

**Author's Note:**

> Hi all,
> 
> Life sucks but I'm still alive.
> 
> I'm hoping to do a little 5+1 inception here. So, here is a 5+1 fic, within a 5+1 fic (like a turducken) 
> 
> Chapter 1: Palate
> 
> 5 foods people assume is the best Catra's eaten and 1 that is

Despite the best efforts of the catering staff at Queen Marlena Hospital, the cafeteria always seemed to hold an undercurrent of despair and a faint taste of bleach. The food served was certainly more palatable than its reputation suggested but no amount of flavouring or salt could overcome the fact that lunch was basically inedible when eaten next to a family in mourning. 

Scorpia smiled cheerfully to the cashier with her tray in hand. Today promised some lasagne but there was a delicious looking sponge for pudding. If there was one thing that hospitals cooked well, it was sponges. With her tray in hand, she scanned the seating area for somewhere to eat; despite being a fully grown adult and a competent professional, she always felt akin to a high schooler who was searching for her clique. 

She spotted Catra sitting in a brightly lit corner, her darkened scowl dismissing anyone else from her table before they even approached and she was surrounded by an invisible barrier of sarcasm and disdain. Smiling brightly, Scorpia carried her, almost comically small, tray towards her friend, her face lighting at the chance to eat with her. 

It wasn’t often that Catra changed into normal clothes to join her in the canteen to eat, preferring to stay in her scrubs and eat her lunch from home, but they’d promised to do weekly lunches when they could and it made Scorpia warm inside that Catra took them as seriously as she did. 

“Hi Wildcat!” she cheered as she approached. Catra looked up from her limp salad to give her a small smirk and saluted with her fork. 

“Hey Scorpia. How’s ED today?” she asked and Scorpia lit up like a Christmas tree. 

“Oh, wow. Well, there’s the usuals: y’know Mr Room is back again,” she said, running a hand through her white undercut as a bright grin slashed across Catra’s lips.

“Really?”

“Yeah. Apparently, he inhaled some of his own mushrooms and, well, things got a little crazy in his house.”

As Catra loosed a wild cackle, they were joined at the table by Glimmer and Bow. She recapped the story for the two medics, even though Glimmer had been the one she’d referred Mr Room to earlier. 

“He was having a wild trip when I got to him, Scorpia. Mentioning something about an invading army coming and how the chips were controlling everyone,” Glimmer mentioned, her tone completely disinterested despite the contents of her sentence. Bow was staring at her in agog amazement, that she could be so laidback when talking about someone having a drug-induced psychotic break but, to Scorpia and Glimmer, it was literally another day at the office. 

Scorpia loved chances to be with her friends like this. Her dark eyes surveyed the group with fondness. They weren’t complete; Mermista was on nights and Sea Hawk was doing a theatre overrun. Entrapta had said she wasn’t coming earlier, waving her packet digestives as she left the Mess that morning (Scorpia made a mental note to swing passed Radiology later with an apple for her. Entrapta needed more than her biscuits to get through the day). Perfuma was off today, having gone off to Plumeria for a conference earlier in the week and wouldn’t be back until tomorrow.

Bow was enjoying his soup, dark rimmed glasses fogging with every spoonful which seemed to make Glimmer giggle as she at her sandwich. Catra’s salad though looked limp and sad, drowning in dressing and wilting at the edges. Scorpia knew that Perfuma would be distraught at the sight of her salad and it made her smile at the thought. Perfuma, in addition to being an incredibly talented psychiatrist, had a wonderful vegetable garden that she liked to tend to in her scant off-duty hours.

“Something wrong with your packed lunch today, Catra?” Glimmer said, her eyes twinkling with mischief. Catra gave her piercing glare as she mumbled something about Adora making it for her. 

“That must be why it looks, a little….” Bow trailed off, searching for an adjective that wouldn’t offend the Princess of Etheria. Or, more accurately, offend Catra. “Different,” he finished on, just as Glimmer coughed behind him. 

“Disgusting.”

Scorpia raised her hands in supplication, aiming to stop Catra from committing homicide of their friends. “True, it looks a little, erm. I mean, I’m sure she tried?” she finished, distracted as a tomato, swimming in dressing, plopped from Catra’s fork in a small splash on her plate. 

“Oh, I know what it looks like,” Catra reassured, but her fork was still going for more, finishing her salad with single focussed intensity. “Dora’s not very good at cooking, but she tries.” Scorpia could appreciate that; not being very skilled at something but trying anyway for a loved one and she thought it lovely that Adora was doing it for Catra. 

“I bet you guys eat some really fancy things,” Bow said, his dark eyes twinkling. He leaned forwards, soup forgotten by his elbow as he, literally, sparkled at Catra. Catra was slightly disgusted.

Scorpia, however, was slightly jealous and wanted to learn how he did it.

“What’s the best thing you’ve eaten?” he asked, a wistful note in his voice as he stirred the remains of his soup. “I bet it’s something really posh, like caviar or oysters.”

“No, Bow,” Glimmer interrupted, “it’ll be something even fancier, like fois gras.”

“Or what about something like rare mushrooms,” Scorpia chimed in, thinking of Perfuma, “or truffles. I bet those taste amazing.”

\--

5 

\--

The glittering lights of the ballroom twinkled above them, sending cascades of light off of the swirling ballgowns of the ladies below. The men were in “white tie” attire, with suits, hats and gloves in place as the women were decked in their finest ballgowns. It was a charity ball, aiming to raise funds for Adam’s chosen charity: disabled veterans and healthcare for military personnel. 

Catra was dressed in a burgundy tuxedo, her gloves fingerless but on, her hat tilted at a jaunty angle but on and her tie untied to show her distaste for the rules (as though her untamed hair, sharply winged eyeliner and self-confident smirk didn’t do that). She was meandering around the finely lit room and waiting for Adora to arrive. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Teela, Adam’s friend, in an emerald halter dress that draped her form gently. 

She drifted over to her, snagging a champagne flute and canape, grateful to at least know someone else here. They exchanged a brief smile, with Teela’s eyes widening meaningfully whilst her eyebrows wiggled over to the large man stuffed in an ill-fitting suit, making Catra snicker into her glass. 

Just as she placed the canape in her mouth, she saw the doors open and Adora walked in, on Adam’s arm. Adam was dressed as every other male there: perfectly pressed black suit with hat and gloves but his tie was a glittering white and gold ombre to match his twin and his shoulders seemed to be straining at the seams of his jacket, as always. Adora was in a strapless gown, white around the bust to gradient to sparkling gold. Her makeup and hair were simple, as always, but a simple tiara adorned her brow, denoting her status.

Catra’s eyes widened, still taken off guard by how beautiful Adora was even after all these years and she took a moment to appreciate the sight before her. Biting down on the canape in her mouth, she was met by a burst of salt and umami, a strong marine taste covering her tongue and that, combined with the view, made her heart leap and her breath catch. 

“Hey Teela,” she leaned over to whisper in the redhead’s ear. Teela was staring slack jawed at Adam, mouth open and eyes unfocussed. “Earth to Teela,” her hand flapped in front of her face as Teela’s server restarted. 

“Er, yes Catra?”

“So, appreciating everything here, including the sights,” Teela’s cheeks suffused with a gentle flush, “what’re the canapes tonight?”

And that’s how beluga caviar joined Catra’s “favourite food” list.

\--

4

\--

“Just try it.”

“No thanks.”

“You never know, you might like it.”

“I highly doubt that!”

“Come on, Catra!”

“Nope! I think I’m gonna be sick.”

“Don’t you dare! Not here, the President will kill us if you vomit in the dining room!”

“Dora, I can’t really control it. It smells so bad and I _really_ don’t wanna put that in my mouth.”

“Well, it’s sort of expected here, so put on your big girl pants and open your mouth!”

“It looks like snot! You’re a literal princess, why are you eating this?”

“It does not! They’re considered a delicacy.”

“By who? Demons? Because they’re the only things that would enjoy eating cold, briny, snot.”

“Stop being such a baby!”

“…”

“They’re just oysters!”

“Ok, fine! I’ll try them, just once!”

“Thank you, Catra.”

“Bleuch! Don’t laugh at me, Dora! They’re disgusting!”

\--

3

\--

Dinner was a stilted affair that evening. They were dining with the President and First Lady of the neighbouring nation; just an informal meal to welcome them to the country. President Hordak and First Lady Shadow Weaver were seated with them, the finely pressed linen of the table cloth brushing against their legs. Scattered around the room, security personnel maintained an inconspicuous but palpable presence. Adora and Catra had exchanged looks at the beginning of dinner, unnerved by the leering stares their hosts were aiming at them. 

Shadow Weaver in particular was looking at them as though they were on the menu and it made Catra’s skin crawl.

Their appetisers were brought out along with a refresh of their wine glasses and Catra glanced down at her plate with unease. 

The sliver of pâté looked enticing, as did the accompanying bread and thinly sliced melon garnishing it, but there was something about the whole meal that was making her apprehensive. She took a sip from her wine glass as Adora discussed the educational situation in Etheria, Hordak leaning in with interest. Or, at least, feigned interest. 

She took a bite from her dish and was surprised at the rich, savoury flavour dancing on her tongue, complemented by the lightness of the bread and the freshness of the fruit. She let out a surprised noise at the taste, and Adora reached over to put a warm hand on her knee, continuing her discussion. 

“Mmmm, what’s this?”

“Ah, you like the fois gras?” Shadow Weaver purred from behind her own glass of wine and Catra’s heterochromic eyes flitted over to her. Her pale green eyes were fixed on her, boring into her soul and reading her to the core.

“Yes. What is it?”

“Well, child,” she began, thoroughly condescending and intimidating at the same time, “it’s pâté made from the liver of an overfed duck.”

“The bird is kept caged, force fed in a custom called ‘gavage’ until its liver becomes fattened. Then, after gorging for over a hundred days, it is slaughtered and the end product is the delicacy before you.”

“Centuries of cuisine created this gastronomic perfection and, despite its morally grey source, the food has no equal.”

Catra was disturbed and disgusted, feeling nauseated at what she’d eaten. She was by no means a vegetarian but there was a difference between an animal becoming part of the food chain and an animal being tortured for a delicacy. The First Lady smiled eerily at her expression, pale eyes fixed and unblinking. 

“But it’s not right-“

“Right? It is what the bird was bred for. It is its entire _purpose_ in life and it can fulfil no greater one. Why impose some moral compass on it?”

“The bird doesn’t know what is good for it,” she continued, her pale eyes finally moving from Catra’s, to instead fix themselves on Adora, who was still in conversation with Hordak, “it doesn’t appreciate that it needs to be enriched before it can be slaughtered, so a firm hand is needed to do it for it. It needs guidance to its final goal and it’s only purpose in life is to nourish someone with its death.”

Catra had gone from slightly nauseated to feeling deeply unwell. Shadow Weaver’s voice was cloying in her ears and she was unable to tear her eyes away from the woman before her, casually discussing torture with her eyes fixed on Adora, unblinking and intense like a viper locked in on its prey. 

And the fois gras tasted like ash. 

\--

2

\--

“I’m not saying I didn’t like it, Dora,” Catra said as they walked from their table, security personnel surrounding them on all sides, “I’m just saying it tasted like every other mushroom risotto I’ve eaten.”

Adora pursed her lips, her face turning an adorable flushed red and she pouted. Her hands curled into fists, nearly tearing her red chiffon cocktail dress. “Ok, firstly, you’ve never had mushroom risotto in your life-“

“Hey! I resemble that remark!”

“And secondly,” carrying on as though she hadn’t just been interrupted, Adora fully turned to Catra to continue her rant, “it wasn’t just a mushroom risotto. It was made with Matsutake mushrooms!”

Catra raised an unimpressed eyebrow, her lips quirking at the corner as Adora was becoming more wound up, her hair uncurling from its perfect ponytail as they were ushered into their car. Nestled on the black, leather seats with Catra’s suit jacket around her shoulders, Adora was into her full rant now. 

“They’re so expensive! And they have an earthy, woody flavour that normal mushrooms can’t compare to!”

“Uh-huh,” Catra was sure that Adora was making some _excellent_ points regarding the value of fancy mushrooms, but all she could focus on was the pale pink of her lips as she spoke. 

“We just need to refine your palate some more,” she said, pulling her phone out to, undoubtedly, book them a table somewhere pretentious and posh. The phone screen illuminated her blue eyes into something celestial and Catra couldn’t resist any longer.

She pushed herself forwards across the seats to capture Adora’s lips in a kiss. Adora smiled at her and giggled into the kiss but let herself melt into Catra. 

The mushrooms were certainly appealing when she was tasting them from Adora’s lips. 

(But she still thought they were no different to regular mushrooms. What was wrong with closed cup or button mushrooms?)

\--

1

\--

It was two in the morning and Catra was sneaking into the kitchen of the _palace_ she was in, Adora nestled in their room, dead to the world. She still couldn’t believe that this was her life now; it felt like she was in a fairy tale or a dream and she kept waiting to wake up. 

Creeping along the vast corridors, she tried to remember where the kitchen was back when she’d first visited and was shown around. Since then, she’d spent more time in the dining room and Adora’s bedroom than anywhere else, much to Randor’s embarrassment and Marlena’s joy. Marlena was certainly the more mischievous of the pair who didn’t care one whit about propriety, or the lack thereof, of her staying the night in Adora’s room. 

Eventually, her slipped clad feet led her to the kitchen and she was free to rummage to her heart’s content. She really just wanted some cereal or something; dinner had been so long ago. Rifling through the cupboards, she searched high and low for a box of cereal or something she could snack on but she was struggling to find anything. 

‘This kitchen can feed thousands and put out a banquet but it doesn’t even have cereal? No wonder Adora couldn’t make a bowl of it in halls,’ she thought to herself, opening the final cupboard, only to be disappointed by a collection of oils. 

“What the hell is this?” she whispered to herself, seeing a bottle of oil with black lumps floating at the bottom. She almost dropped the bottle when a hand landed on her shoulder, shrieking and banging her head on the top of the cupboard. 

“What are you doing?” a voice came with her heart attack and she angrily turned to see Adam standing behind her. He was dressed in his pyjamas, hair mussed and more of a disaster than usual and a confused look in his blue eyes. His shoulders were straining the seams of his pyjama top and his slippers were fluffy with rabbit ears on them. 

She wished she’d brought her phone with her because no one would ever believe her if she said she saw the Prince looking like this. He always looked so put together in his photos but, in real life, he was a fashion disaster. 

She wouldn’t be surprised if there was a pair of crocs in his wardrobe.

“What are you even doing here?” she hissed, coming out of the cupboard to glare at him. Adam held his hands up in supplication, as though trying to calm a raging bull.

“Whoa there! I was just getting a drink,” he placated, turning to the massive fridge in the corner to grab a bottle of sparkling water. “What’re you doing here?”

“Looking for a snack but your useless kitchen seems to only have-“ she glanced down to the bottle that she’d pulled from the cupboard at the same time as her head, “-truffle oil. What even is this?”

Adam snickered at her, eyes sparkling in a way that wasn’t cute, like when Adora did it, but irritating to the point where she wanted to punch him in his perfect white teeth and her eyes narrowed at him.

“You won’t find any snacks in here, Catra,” he said and popped his bottle open with a smirk on his lips, “but I have some in my room.” 

“Share!” she demanded and watched as Adam’s eyes took on a malicious twinkle. Uh-oh. 

“Ok. But you have to do something first,” he sparkled innocently, looking devilishly wicked. Catra knew it would be a mistake to agree but she really wanted a snack and she was getting desperate. 

“What do you want?” 

“Just take a teaspoon of the oil in your hand,” he said, trying his hardest to seem innocuous and failing miserably. She eyed the bottle she was holding with suspicion, noting again the floating black balls at the bottom. 

“What’s wrong with it?”

“Absolutely nothing. It’s truffle oil and considered a delicacy.” Her eyebrows raised, disbelief apparent on her features, but she was so hungry. She just wanted some cereal or something. Her stomach released an embarrassing growl and she sighed in defeat. 

“Fine. Just one teaspoon though.”

Adam was positively gleeful as he took the bottle from her hand and rummaged in one of the drawers for the spoon. Catra watched as a smile spread across his face and a sense of horror grew in her mind. She didn’t have siblings, she’d never wanted any, but she knew enough about sibling relationships to know that if something was making Adam this happy, it probably wouldn’t end well for her. Where was Adora when she needed her?

With a sense of foreboding, she tentatively opened her mouth to allow Adam to put the filled spoon in with a crazed look in his eyes. 

And the taste hit her tongue.

“Eugh! It tastes like feet!” she gagged, rushing to the sink to try and wash her mouth out as Adam fell over behind her with laughter. She was furiously rinsing, trying to get rid of the taste of feet as Adam cackled behind her. He was laughing so hard, she was sure he was going to pass out at some point (she wished he would) and, when he paused for breath, it wasn’t because he had run out and needed to inhale.

It was because Adora peeked her head through the door.

“What’s going on here?” Catra gazed into her eyes and rushed at her, positively yowling.

“Adora! Your brother is trying to poison me with feet!”

…

“What?”

\--

“What’s the best thing you’ve eaten?” he asked, a wistful note in his voice as he stirred the remains of his soup. “I bet it’s something really posh, like caviar or oysters.”

“No, Bow,” Glimmer interrupted, “it’ll be something even fancier, like fois gras.”

“Or what about something like rare mushrooms,” Scorpia chimed in, thinking of Perfuma, “or truffles. I bet those taste amazing.”

They all leant forwards eagerly, waiting for Catra to be the voice of the jury regarding the best food. 

“Well, I’ve certainly had all those,” she began, a sly smile curving across her lips, “but the best-“ she trailed off, a dreamy look in her eyes.

“That’d have to be…”

\--

+1

\--

It was dark and cold when Catra crawled back to Fright Tower. She’d finished her clinical rotation for the day, feet sore and cheeks aching from her plastic smile and was really looking forward to just going to her room and curling up with a movie but then she remembered the paper she had due the following day.

Blast. 

So, after getting her bus back to campus, she’d turned in the opposite direction to Fright Tower and trudged her way to the library instead to bash out her essay on parasitic illnesses. Normally, she’d be quite interested in that, because the accompanying pictures filled her with morbid fascination but she was so tired she just wanted to get something written and go back to the dorms. 

She’d even texted Adora to cancel their evening plans, not that they were very intricate. She’d planned on going to Adora’s room, watching something online and laughing at Adora’s ignorance at the real world, interspersed with gazing forlornly at the Princess who she’d never pluck up the courage to ask out. 

How would you even ask a Princess on a date? Would it involve some form of challenge or duel?

After scribbling down something that she hoped would get her a passing grade, she ambled back to halls, bypassing the canteen entirely. Yes, she was hungry but she just wanted to go to bed. Maybe sleep until November. 

As she reached the top of the stairs, because of course the lift was out of order, she saw Adora sitting in front of her door, legs pulled up to her chest as she fiddled on her phone. 

“Adora? What are you doing here?” she asked, heterochromic eyes wide with surprise, “We cancelled for tonight.”

Adora looked up to her, eyes lighting with delight, as she pulled herself to her feet. “Hi Catra! It sounded like you had a hard day in your text so I thought I’d bring round dinner!” A white plastic bag was revealed when Adora stood, having been nestled next to her thigh on the floor.

Catra thought she might cry at the thoughtfulness of the blonde before her but she didn’t even have the energy to do that. All she could do was mutter “what?” again. Adora flipped her phone round so that Catra could actually read the text she’d sent her earlier. Instead of the rewritten “sorry, gonna have to cancel tonight” she’d meant to send, it was her first, unedited tirade on the screen.

“sorry, gonna have to cancel tonight. I’ve had an awful day and have to go to the library after clinical so won’t be back til late. Eat without me, I’ll sort something out.”

Ah. Catra hadn’t meant to unload on Adora in the text, but was sort of glad she had. This sweet idiot in front of her hadn’t taken her message as a dismissal, but a call for help and brought her food. She hadn’t reacted as though Catra had brushed her off, but as though Catra had reached out.

Catra could honestly say, she’d never reached for anyone but, with Adora offering it, she was keen to take her hand. 

Her brain was still catching up with her, but her mouth took over first. “I’ll marry you right now if you bought chow mein.”

Adora laughed in her snorting chuckle that was her true laugh and not the one she put on for cameras and her eyes twinkled as Catra flushed. To hide her face, she bustled forwards to unlock her room and usher them both inside. 

“I expect at least a date first, Catra. Then we can talk marriage,” Adora breezed passed her into the room, bag hanging from her hand with carless abandon. 

With a gleeful smile, Catra followed her into the room, knowing she’d follow that woman anywhere.

It was the best chow mein she’d ever eaten, and the best meal she’d ever eaten, because it represented the next step in their relationship.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think 
> 
> BYB x


End file.
